


He Told Me He Was Hollow

by SwankOceanMan



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: BatmanxJoker - Freeform, Canon-Typical Violence, Depression, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Female Homosexuality, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, Homophobic Language, Homosexuality, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, References to Depression, Superman x Wonder Woman, Violent Sex, harleyxivy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-03
Updated: 2018-09-03
Packaged: 2019-07-06 07:09:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15881094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwankOceanMan/pseuds/SwankOceanMan
Summary: When Superman murders the Clown Prince of Crime out of pain and devastation from the loss of his wife and child; Bruce Wayne is thrown into a deep depression.The Batman doesn't have emotions. The Batman is just around to protect Gotham and it's children.But Bruce Wayne... he can feel; and he's in horrible pain.The billionaire playboy would never have been able to admit it to the clown, but he was in love with the jester; and now he was really wishing he had spoken his feelings.Unknown to Bruce, he may just get the chance.Because the Joker isn't dead, and he wasn't even the one that slayed Clark's family.Tag along to see who's to blame for all of this pain and heartache.A BatmanxJoker story with a plot line based loosely on the Injustice comic series, please don't hate if I 'mess things up' because I'm changing things on purpose to match a story line that I've been sitting on for a long time... ;3This is mature, like the rest of my Batjokes stuff lol... be warned...(Though I wish I did, I don't own DC or any of it's beautifully awesome characters)





	He Told Me He Was Hollow

**Okie dokie y'all... here's a new one! It's very... OC? I guess? No OC characters really, it's just not exactly following the comics _perfectly_... not that any of my other fics do lol...**

**This, kinda like some of my other fics that I'm writing; includes my own twist on Batman/Bruce. Yeah he's still a kick-ass crime-fighter, but he also has an... emotional side I guess? Yes there will be tears from him, and in my opinion, it doesn't make him any less manly or cool.**

**He's grieving.**

**So please, (the people that have a problem with a kinda emotional Batman) chill and give him a break. If you lose/lost someone very dear to you; I'm sure you would either cry or cope in similar ways as well. (Maybe not as similar because I'm gonna make some of his coping mechanisms kinda unhealthy, but I hope y'all get the point.)**

**With that all being said please,**

**Enjoy!**

**-S.O.M.**

 

 

\---

 

The phrase, "the strong protect the weak" had come to mean nothing when one of the world's strongest men became weak himself.

Weak can be used to define many things, or people; many  _types_  of people to be exact.

Possibly a young child, or maybe someone who is physically ill;  _weak_. Simple as that. Though when the _mentally ill_  are brought into the question; that's a whole other story.

 _Physically_  just as in the Joker's case, they may be as strong as an mighty tower; standing alone, proud and tall for all to see. Mentally, their tower crumbles. There aren't enough support beams to help them remain standing when even the slightest gust of wind rolls through; that's how they could be defined as weak.

It all comes down to emotions.

Bruce Wayne had never been evaluated; but when Superman killed the Joker, he knew that his tower was in  _shambles_.

The Joker's lifeless body laid there on the floor, bleeding ever so slowly now. The blood around the madman's mouth had dried, his smile marked with the substance permanently now.

The Joker most likely wouldn't even be allowed a proper burial; that thought crushed Bruce even more.

The now  **murderer**  known as Superman had been taken into custody minutes after the murder had taken place, do to Bruce's small stash of Kryptonite that he always had stashed in his utility belt; specifically in case of any occasions like this.

Bruce always knew that he'd have to use it on Clark someday, but not like this. He had always pictured it having to be used because of a death match between Superman and him.

Not with... Not with his  _unadmitted_  bestfriend bleeding out on a dirty warehouse floor. The clown was a murdering psychopath, but he didn't deserve to die like this. He deserved to die of old age, just like everyone else... and now he would never receive that luxury.

His last moments would be remembered of him having his beating heart ripped from his chest, by a man that barely knew him.

Bruce shared the pain of his heart being torn violently out of his chest with the now  **dead**  Joker. The Caped-Crusader would never admit it aloud, not that he would have the chance to now; but he had  _loved_  the maniac.

He still loved him; even as he bled out and took his final breath...

Even now.

Besides Alfred, the Clown Prince was the only one that had every truly understood Bruce... and he didn't even have to see under the mask to  _know_  him.

The Batman walked over to the Joker's lifeless body and eased his eyelids to a close out of respect; he realized that those emerald green orbs would never look at him with  _that look;_ the one that the Joker was known to give him, ever again. Bruce unhooked his cape, covering the lifeless body in the process.

 _No more masterfully tailored suits that, Bruce_ _**knew** _ _the Clown had to have made himself._

Bruce secretly loved the way that those suits made the green-eyed madman dance with joy every time he would show up to a battle with a new one.

Bruce knew that the Joker wore them, _just for him_.

Bruce couldn't take it anymore and quickly left the warehouse. Once he was outside he made his way to a darkened alleyway, and just in time.

It started out as a dull burn in the back of his eyes.

The pain in his chest erupted without warning. The emptiness was unbearable. An unfillable hole crept into his heart; and it felt like it had made a permanent home there. The kevlar-clad man sunk to the ground, his back pushed up against the brick wall.

He couldn't hold it in anymore.

Sobs broke out of the Bat, the first ones in  _years._  Bruce hadn't shed a tear since his parents death, and right at that moment with his back against the wall; all of those feelings were hitting him  **tenfold**.

_I should have done something... How could I have let this happen? How could I have been so stubborn all these years? It was so obvious that that lunatic was in love with me, why couldn't I just tell him that I felt the same!? He's gone and it's all my fault! If I was only there a little earlier... I could have talked Clark out of it!_

God, he felt so... so  _weak_  in that moment. Like the entire world was crashing down around him and there was nothing he could do other than be unwillingly strapped down for the ride.

Tears streamed down the billionaire's face as he wrapped his arms around his knees, pulling himself closer to the brick wall. His heart was pounding in his ears; almost loud enough to cover the shaking voice of Alfred trying to speak to him over the comms in his kowl.

"Mater Bruce, I-" The butler paused to take a long shallow breath;

"Sir, I've sent the car to your location. I... I've also seen what has occurred. I know you may not want to discuss anything about... the situation with me, but I am so sorry, Bruce." The comms were connected to the Batcomputer, and fully activated, which meant that the poor butler could hear the shattered man's meltdown.

"T-Thanks, Al."

The crying bat wiped away his tears and decided that he had to pull himself together, just long enough to get back to the manor. If he couldn't do it for himself, he had to do it for Alfred.

In that moment Bruce was tired.

Just so...  _exhausted._

**Batman wouldn't be going on patrol that night.**

**Or the next night.**

**Or the next _week_.**

Things were truly falling apart at the seams.

\----

Alfred was getting worried. It had been three weeks and Bruce had hardly left the extra room that was installed in the Batcave. Most of the time Bruce was sleeping, but when he wasn't, he was in the Joker area of his collection... Just  _starring._

Alfred understood why the young man was conflicted. Bruce had never  _voiced_  his true feelings for the Joker, but they were extremely obvious to the old Brit.

The young man had very obviously lost the love of his life, and Alfred had no idea on how to broach the subject.

The butler had seen how Bruce had covered the clown's body, as well as heard the heart-wrenching sobs that ensued afterwards. If there were any questions about whether or not Bruce had loved the madman, they had definitely been answered that day.

Alfred was heartbroken as well. With the Joker gone, it was very likely that his son would never be truly happy.

_Ever again._

\----

Bruce left the small room in the Batcave for the first time in what felt like forever. His chest still felt as if 200 pounds of sheetrock were sitting on it, but he needed to check the computer, as well as some cameras that were placed in some crime hotspots around Gotham.  _He_  himself probably wouldn't be venturing out, but if something was large enough to require assistance, Dick could probably handle it for him.

Considering the fact that Batman, Gotham's protector and vigilante hadn't been seen in weeks, everything seemed to be on the up and up. No major robberies, or mass murders... Though that could be due to the loss of... A major  _benefactor._    
  
Bruce felt the weight get heavier ashe turned away from the computer screens.

No matter how hard he tried not to think about the Joker, scenes from their many years clashing together constantly came to mind. Their  _dances_ , as J would call them. They were always bloody, but somehow they never went too far; maybe it was because of their secret.

Well, the Joker's not-so-secret love for Batman, and Bruce's  _extremely_  buried feelings for one psychotic clown in particular.

One ride to Arkham, two years ago to be exact, was playing over and over in Bruce's mind like a movie reel.

_The Joker, bloodied up and handcuffed sat in the passenger side of the Tumbler looking out the window as they took the 'long way to Arkham.' It had been the clown's request, and for some reason, anytime J would ask him to go the 'long way,' Bruce would happily oblige._

_The Tumbler couldn't have been going over twenty as they drove on the outskirts of Gotham; Bruce would always drive much slower than normal with the Joker in the car, unless the madman wanted to go fast._

_Bruce realized that he actually enjoyed the clown's company years before, and sometimes it was actually hard to escort the doofus back into Arkham._

_Until Bruce remembered that Joker was a psychotic mass-murderer._

_That always made it a little bit easier._

_"I love you, ya know." The clown declared, his eyes fixed on the road ahead, unblinking. His blood-soaked glove-clad fingers began tapping out some unidentifiable rhythm on his kneecap; mostly due to stress and also due to that one particular song about moonlight being stuck in his head since last Tuesday._

_"I always have... I know you probably don't feel the same, I get it. Morals, and all that crap; but I wanted you to know. No joke, dead serious, I love you. I've felt this way since the first time you kicked my sorry ass into that vat of chemicals. That's when I realized that you were the one for me." He still didn't look away from the road still tap, tapping away, afraid that he might be met with a glare from his Bat... That would absolutely ruin him._

_Bruce couldn't comprehend what he was hearing. He knew that the clown was infatuated with him, but love? The Joker had made many comments about his feelings towards Batman over the years, but Bruce had passed them off as jokes. He didn't even think that J was capable of such a thing._

_"Before anything else is said here, I want you to know that I'm not just talking about the_ _ **Batman**_ _part of you. I mean, that's how it started; don't get me wrong, but I'm head over heels with all of you. Every little piece. That being said, yes I know who you are under the cowl, no, I will not and have not told anyone; and believe me when I say that Bats, because I've known since nearly the beginning._ "

_Bruce honestly wasn't that surprised with the revelation. The Joker was no fool, and at the beginning, Bruce wasn't the best about hiding anything. That didn't mean that he wasn't concerned though. The Joker was unpredictable, with him anything could happen..._

_"I don't know what to tell you, J. I believe you, but I don't know... What you-"_

_The Joker turned in his seat, pulled the emergency break and looked the Batman dead in the eye._

_"Take your cowl off."_

_"What, no-"_

_"Just, please take it off for a second, dammit Bruce!"_

_The billionaire sighed and reached back, unclasping and pressing coverings that would release the cowl from the top base of his chest plate. 'Why in the hell am I doing this? He's supposed to be at Arkham!' Bruce's thoughts were interrupted by a hugh from the clown across from him. The Joker leaned impossibly closer to the Bat and ripped the \cowl off of his head, throwing it somewhere behind him before pulling Bruce towards him._

_Bruce didn't register what had happened until their lips connected, sending sparks traveling up his body. The Joker had pulled him into a kiss, and with the emergency brake pulled and the clown wrapped around him like an anaconda, the billionaire had nowhere to go._

_The Joker's plan had been successful. He had an indisposed Bruce Wayne underneath him,_ _**kissing him back!**_

_The Joker slid into the Bats lap and pulled away from his lips, making eye contact with the blushing playboy. Green met blue, and Bruce felt... calm. For the first time in ages. He tried to pull the Joker closer, but the madman just shook his head and moved back into the passenger side of the Tumbler._

_"Just wanted you to know; I love both of you._ _**You** _ _**.** "_

Bruce woke up on the floor of the Bat-cave in front of his many monitors. After a dream of that caliber, reality sometimes takes a  _very_  long time to hit you; and for Bruce it took about two and a half minutes. Those minutes were bliss.

Nothing was missing. The idiot was just wondering why he was laying on the floor instead of on top of his California King.

Then it hit.

Waves, over and over; like a heart attack, but somehow more permanent. The love of his life was gone, he wasn't coming back.

He just wanted to tell him how much he loved him.

Just once.

Life's **never** that kind.  
\---  
Alfred found Bruce slouched up against a desk in the cave, heartbreaking sobs flooding out of his person. The butler knew that this would occur eventually, it had already happened once to his knowledge; maybe more. It was bound to happen, most likely forever.

In Bruce's case, his feelings took control of him, whether he wanted to admit it or not. One example would be Batman. Without Bruce's anger getting the better of him, he never would've set out to become the masked vigilante that Gotham had come to know and love over the years.

With that being said, Alfred feared for what Bruce's sadness would bring him to.

The butler sat his tea down and approached the grieving man on the floor.

"Master Bruce, I think it would be in everyone's best interest if you headed upstairs and got yourself cleaned up... A nice shower might help you to relax and calm down; and if you would like we could...  _discuss_  the events as of late. I just... I hate seeing you like this, Master Bruce." Alfred offered a hand, but Bruce declined; pushing himself up off of the floor and heading towards the elevator.

"Thanks, Al. I don't want to talk about anything regarding recent events, but I will take your advice." The young man punched in the elevator code and began his descent upstairs for the first time in three weeks.

Bruce wasn't ready to talk about the Joker with anyone.

Not even himself.

\--------------

**My third fic posted! I'm climbing the ladder...**

**Ahhhhhh, my heart! This was a bit painful to write guys, not gonna lie. Lemme know if y'all would like a second chapter?**

**(I'm gonna write one, I'm just curious to know who's for it)**

 

 

**Any comments or questions are appreciated, I love hearing from you guys, makes my day and inspires me to write every time I get a notification for comments or Kudos.**

 

**Anyways..**

**Love you guys!**

**-SOM**


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